Safety glow vest and jacket

ABSTRACT

A garment for riders of motor cycles, bicycles or motor scooters, the garment having a material that will glow when the headlights of an automotive vehicle shine toward it, thus giving the motorist a visibly clear indication of the presence of the cyclist ahead so to prevent colliding into him.

United States Patent [72] Inventor George R. Pickens 3 167,782 2/1965 Wilson et a1. 2/1

N-W. 71h AV9-, Homestead. Fla. FOREIGN PATENTS [21 1 P 1,248,049 10/1960 France 1 16/35 {22] Flled Sept. 25, 1967 [45] Patented Feb 9 1971 162,518 3/1958 Sweden. 116/35 1,074,476 3/1954 France 2/94 1,435,025 3/1966 France 116/35 [54] SAFETY GLOW VEST AND JACKET 620,032 3/1961 ltaly 1 16/28 3 Claims! 6 Drawing Figs- Primary Examiner-Louis J. Capozi 52 U.S. c1 116/35, Arwmeysclarence O'Brien and Harvey Jacobson 2/102;116/ll4 [51] Int. Cl B601 1/26 [50] Field ofSearch 116/28, 35.

1 14; 2/12, 1; 250/ 71 ABSTRACT: A garment for riders of motor cycles, bicycles or motor scooters, the garment having a material that will glow [56] References cued when the headlights of an automotive vehicle shine toward it, UNITED STATES PATENTS thus giving the motorist a visibly clear indication of the 2,276,592 3/ 1942 Reitman 1 16/35 UX presence of the cyclist ahead so to prevent colliding into him.

PATENTEU FEB 9I97| 3561; 394

GLOW MATERIAL.

INVENTOR. 650265 F. p/C/(E/Vs SAFETY GLOW VEST AND JACKET This invention relates generally to garments for riders of motor cycles, bicycles, motor scooters and the like. More specifically it relates to a garment that is visible at night.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a garment for a cyclist which will glow when a light is shined thereupon, thus very clearly indicating to a motorist the presence of the cyclist upon a highway at night, and prevent colliding into him.

Another object is to provide a garment which has a portion thereof made of a material that will glow when an automobile head light shines thereupon for a relatively great distance so as v to give a motorist sufficient time to pass around the cyclist.

Yet another object is to provide a garment which may comprise either a vest or a jacket.

Yet a further object is to provide a garment wherein the glow material has a light reflective surface, and which may be made in the form of various designs or emblems which may be sewn to the rear side of the jacket or vest.

Other objects are to provide a safety glow vest and jacket which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a vest incorporating the invention,

FIG. 2 is a rear view thereof,

FIG. 3 is a side view thereof,

FIG. 4 is a frontview of a jacket incorporating the invention,

FIG. 5 is a rear view of a modified form of the invention, and fragmental perspective view of the tape.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral represents a safety glow vest according to the present invention wherein there is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a vest l lhaving a front side 12 and rear side 13, the vest having a neck opening 14 and arm openings 15. The neck opening has a tape 16 secured around the edge thereof, the tape having a surface 17 that has light reflective properties, as is shown in FIG. 6. The tape should preferably be of a red color so to suggest a warning to stop or avoid approach of a vehicle thereto. While the neck opening is thus designed upon its front side, the vest rear side 13 has an emblem 18 or other design sewn to the center back portion thereof, the emblem being made of likewise light reflective material. This emblem may be a design of a motor cycle club, initials, .racing numerals or any other symbol. The vest 11 is further provided with a tape 16 at each side extending vertically so to be visible to traffic approaching from the side of the cyclist.

- The vest may otherwise incorporate conventional features of vests, such as pockets 19, elastic waist band 20, and the 7 tively the same places. The jacket includes sleeves 22 having cuffs 23.

In the modified vest 24 shown in FIG. 5, the vest includes a rear side 25 having an arrow configurated indicator 26 made of light, reflective material; the indicator being secured pivotably free on a rivet 27 on the center of the vest rear side 25. A pair of cords 28 are attached to a rivet 29 on the indicator, each cord being passed around an opposite side of the vest, the cord ends being tied together into a bow 30 around the front side of the vest.

It will be noted that the arrow head 31 normally points upward, due to the opposite end of the arrow being longer from the pivoting rivet 27 than the arrow head.

In operative use, if a cyclist wishes to turn, he merely pulls on the cord to rotate the arrow head into the direction of his intended turn thus warning following motorists of this forthcoming directional change. After the turn is completed, he restores the arrow to vertical position by pulling partway on the other cord.

htle various changes may be made in the detail construction, it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. In a safety glow garment for a cyclist, the combination of said garment having a front side, and a rear side, with opposite said portions therebetween, said sides and side portions having a light reflective glow material sewn thereto for warning approaching motorists, said material comprising a tape along the edge of a neck opening on the front side, a vertical tape along each side portion, and an emblem on said rear side, said garment further including a pivotal arrow configurated indicator secured pivotally free on the said rear side, and a pair of cords secured to said indicator for rotating said indicator to a left or right direction, and said indicator having said light reflective properties.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said garment may be a vest or a jacket.

3. A garment adapted to be womby persons at night comprising a front side and a rear side joined along the edges thereof to form a garment enclosing the upper torso of a person, said garment including a neck opening having downwardly converging edges in the front side, a light reflective tape attached to the converging edges of the neck opening, a light reflective tape mounted vertically at each side portion of the garment, and an emblem of light reflective material mounted on the rear side of the garment thereby providing light'reflective properties for the gannent from the front, rear and each side to warn an approaching motorist of the presence of the person wearing the garment by reflection of light from the headlights of a vehicle, said rear emblem including an arrow configurated indicator, means mounting the indicator on the rear side of the garment for pivotal movement, and

means connected to said indicator for pivoting it to directional positions in relation to the garment-for indicating an action to be taken by the person wearing the garment. 

1. In a safety glow garment for a cyclist, the combination of said garment having a front side, and a rear side, with opposite said portions therebetween, said sides and side portions having a light reflective glow material sewn thereto for warning approaching motorists, said material comprising a tape along the edge of a neck opening on the front side, a vertical tape along each side portion, and an emblem on said rear side, said garment further including a pivotal arrow configurated indicator secured pivotally free on the said rear side, and a pair of cords secured to said indicator for rotating said indicator to a left or right direction, and said indicator having said light reflective properties.
 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said garment may be a vest or a jacket.
 3. A garment adapted to be worn by persons at night comprising a front side and a rear side joined along the edges thereof to form a garment enclosing the upper torso of a person, said garment including a neck opening having downwardly converging edges in the front side, a light reflective tape attached to the converging edges of the neck opening, a light reflective tape mounted vertically at each side portion of the garment, and an emblem of light reflective material mounted on the rear side of the garment thereby providing light reflective properties for the garment from the front, rear and each side to warn an approaching motorist of the presence of the person wearing the garment by reflection of light from the headlights of a vehicle, said rear emblem including an arrow configurated indicator, means mounting the indicator on the rear side of the garment for pivotal movement, and means connected to said indicator for pivoting it to directional positions in relation to the garment for indicating an action to be taken by the person wearing the garment. 